School Daze
by Valma
Summary: A story about Frasier and Niles when they were younger.
1. Default Chapter

__

What was life like for the young Crane Brothers back when they attended school? Loyalty, jealousy, love, pride and sibling rivalry came into play early in their lives. They could have lived through something very much like the following story.

"School Daze - Part 1 

By Val McCaffery 

  
  
"Niles… Frasier... are you boys up and ready for school?" Hester called. 

She already knew the answer but it seemed like a question that she should ask, just for tradition sake, if nothing else. 

  
The two teenagers came racing down the stairs but as they got to the bottom, under the arched eyebrow of their mother, they calmly walked to the breakfast table. 

  
"Now you boys know better than to run in the house, especially since your father is still sleeping. He got in late last night after working a double shift," she reminded them. 

  
"Sorry, mother," they both chimed quietly in unison. 

  
"That's alright. Now eat your breakfast," she said. "Nutrition is important for growing minds." 

  
"If that's the case then Frasier should have a brain the size of an ocean liner," Niles said quietly under his breath.

  
His brother's reply was a swift kick in the leg under the table. Niles wailed and started to object but Hester sternly reminded him to be quiet for the sake of their napping father. 

Frasier smirked at Niles, when their mother had turned her attention, with a grin that had an air of smugness about it. And then with a flourish he quickly snatched Niles' piece of toast and popped it into his mouth! Niles started to open his mouth in protest again, but thought better of it and just quietly turned his attention to his mother. 

  
"Can I help you with anything," he said. "Perhaps you would like me to clear the table? Or make your lunch for you, mother?" 

  
"No, that won't be necessary, dear," Hester said. "I've already seen to my lunch. But thank you for offering. My, Niles, I'm glad to see you ate your breakfast this morning! You really don't eat enough darling!" 

  
"I finished mine too Mummy! " chirped Frasier.

  
"Yes, but you always do. And usually everyone's leftovers, as well," Hester said with a smile. "Your brother is much too thin and I am trying to encourage him to eat more. Now don't you boys dawdle and don't forget to shut the door behind you when you leave." 

  
And with those words Hester put on her hat and coat and left. 

  
"Why do you always do that?" questioned Niles. 

"Do what?" Frasier answered innocently.   
  
"Interrupt when mother is talking to me!" Niles frowned. 

  
"Oh Niles, you ninny! You're just imagining that!! Really!!" replied Frasier. "Come on - we'll be late for the before school choir practice." 

Though Niles was several years younger than Frasier he was only one grade behind him and even took one course with his older brother. It wasn't like Frasier was a poor student - he was quite a scholar, but Niles was looked upon as a _gifted _student. Frasier resented this in a way but was also proud of his little brother. If anyone teased Niles, as happened quite often, Frasier was the first to defend him and protect him from any true harm. But the second that they were alone he would torture him with derision and call him names just to keep him in his place. Niles rarely fought back, being of such a gentle and introverted nature. This was Frasier's way of asserting his dominance over his younger sibling.

__

"And it's fun!!" he told himself.

But usually the two Crane boys stuck together. Niles joined every club that Frasier did, feeling quite out of place usually, with the other students being significantly older. Frasier tried very hard to "best" his brainy little brother in his studies and extra-curricular activities. Their competitive streak was strong. 

  
But there was one area that Niles never gave Frasier any competition. Girls! Females! The Fairer Sex! Women!! Call them anything you wanted Niles just wasn't in the race!

  
Frasier was not exactly Don Juan but compared to Niles he had a virtual cornucopia of experience on his banquet table of life.

  
Niles just could not bring himself to talk to the girls at school. He was tongue-tied and confused in their presence. Instead of meeting and getting to know them during the school lunch hour, just chatting to them about the school day or events that had happened, he squirreled himself away in the library reading. 

Frasier enjoyed befriending the girls in his class. In fact, he often complained that's why they always thought of him as just their _good buddy Frasier._ Sure, he was always a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to about life's little problems, but only rarely did his requests of going to a dance or out on a date meet with acceptance. 

But Niles didn't even get that far. It was just too hard for him, so he decided not to put himself through the torture of trying. He convinced himself that they would just laugh at him and so he rationalized, he would save himself the pain of them rejecting him, if he didn't approach them to begin with. 

  
_"It's just better this way!" he told himself. "I'd only get my heart broken. And besides, what would I have to offer? Yeah, Niles Crane, God's gift to women!!! Right! That's a laugh!" _

The day started out like any other school day. At the choir practice before school, Frasier sang his solo part brilliantly and Niles did a masterful job on the piano accompaniment. Then it was off to the morning classes – History and Geography for Frasier and Drama and Comparative English Literature for Niles. By noon Frasier was wishing he had eaten more of Niles' breakfast, when some unexpected company at the table in the school cafeteria surprised him.

It was the new girl, Rose, who, after scanning the lunch hall with a quick but thorough search, sat down beside Frasier.

  
"Frasier, I really liked what your brother had to say during English class today. I was wondering if I could discuss it further with him?" she said looking around. "By the way, where is he? Doesn't he get a lunch like everyone else?"

  
"Well, he doesn't usually eat." Frasier answered and then realized that sounded weird and added " ...very much. I believe he spends lunch in the library."

  
"No wonder he is so small!" she said with a bit of sympathy in her voice. " I think it's very dedicated of him to treat his studies so seriously!"

"Oh yes, he's _devoted_ to his studies - like a monk!" Frasier arched his eyebrow with a hint of sarcasm.

  
"Well, if you would excuse me, I think I'll be off to the library." Rose said and with that she gathered her things and quietly left.

  
"Do you think she has a thing for your brother Niles," said one of the other girls. 

  
"Oh come on!" said Frasier. " A _thing _for Niles - REALLY!!! " 

  
Rose found Niles with his nose buried in a mountain of books, nibbling on some thin wafers back in the corner of the library behind the stacks area. 

__

"There's a guy who is hiding from the world. He must feel very threatened. I think I should proceed with caution," she surmised.

  
"You know your brother told me that you don't eat anything," she whispered. 

Niles looked up and swallowed hard. He had never seen anyone come back here before and was totally taken by surprise. The first thought that crossed his mind was that she was a library helper and he was about to be kicked out.

  
"I... I... wasn't really eating… I... was ... was.... just..."

Unable to think of a convincing fib he just trailed off and looked miserably guilty. 

  
"Don't worry! I'm not going to report you or anything," she said quickly.  
"I just wanted to say that I thought your arguments in class today were really quite brilliant!" 

  
"You did?" he asked incredulously. "W...W...what part?"

  
"Oh, most of it - but if I had to chose a specific passage, then I'd say the part that impressed me most was about how Spinoza argued that only things that were non-temporal and universal could be truly completely free. Most of the others, I would have to think, have never heard of Spinoza or his doctrine on freedom." 

Niles listened intently as she spoke. Here was someone who wasn't rolling their eyes and snickering when he had expressed his views in class.

Perhaps she was sincere and not setting him up for a tease like had happened so many times before. Maybe she really was interested in discussing Spinoza's ideas.

  
"Well, you know," he said. "I have always thought that he inspired some of the most intense poets of the romantic age with his philosophy."

  
"Like Shelley?" she proffered.

  
"Yes." he smiled shyly. 

  
"Well, I would have never taken you to be a romantic!" Rose countered.   
"Not...not that I find it totally unbelievable!" she quickly added as not to hurt his feelings. 

  
Niles' face went crimson and he stammered, "Well, I do like the romantic poets... but I also like many other writers. Sassoon for one and then of course there is always Shakespeare."

  
"Niles Crane, what an interesting and complex person you are!" Rose whispered. "We'll have to talk again, but right now I have to get ready for my next class."

  
"And I am supposed to be tutoring Ian Crawford in French during my study class period, so I better get going as well." he added.

  
"Oh, you tutor?" Rose inquired. 

  
"Well, the French teacher thought that I could help some of the others," he said lowering his eyes in case she thought that this was being too much of a keener.

  
"Could you take on one more student?" Rose asked. "I need some extra help in my languages - I guess I am more comfortable with sciences and maths." 

Niles suddenly went even paler than usual. That would mean he would be alone with her for an extended period of time. A girl...a GIRL!!! A ten minute conversation was one thing, but an hour was another! 

Rose looked at Niles with a curious expression. He looked positively panic stricken. 

"Of course, if you're busy... I... would understand... it was just a thought…" she stuttered. 

__

"What could be the matter? I thought we were getting along just fine," she pondered. "Now he looks like someone who has been ordered to walk the plank. Maybe I was just too forward. I had better leave." 

  
Rose got up to go, hoping that Niles would at least say something... anything... rather than just stare with his mouth moving but no sound coming out! 

  
"Goodbye... Niles... think about the tutoring and get back to me." 

With that she left the library quickly.

  
Niles put his head down on the table. Then he instinctively started to knock his head on the wood as if pounding it would allow some sense to enter.

  
_"Stupid... stupid... STUPID!!!! STUPID!!!!!!!" he silently screamed at himself. "You idiot! What is the matter with you! You should have said something... anything would have been better than just nothing... Ouch!"_

  
Finally exhausted and embarrassed he just lay his head on top of his valise and sighed, "I've got to talk to Frasier about this. This is more his arena than mine. Maybe he can offer me some advice." 

  
"Frasier," Niles said as he quietly knocked on his brother's door. "Can I come in?"

  
"Sure. What's up?" Frasier replied. 

  
"Well, I met this girl today," he said in almost a conspiratorial tone as he shut the door. 

  
"I know," interrupted Frasier, "I was the one who directed her to the library to find you." 

"Well... she and I got talking..."

  
"I know, " Frasier interjected again. "About something you said in English class. She mentioned that she wanted to discuss some points with you." 

  
"Is there nothing that you don't know!" Niles sputtered in frustration, "Will you let me finish, please?" 

  
"It's just I was hoping you would get to the part where you froze and couldn't talk to her, real soon so I can offer you some advice and then get back to my studies before I have to turn out the lights and go to bed!!" Frasier huffed. 

  
"Oh...it's just impossible to talk to you about anything! Mister-Know-It-All!!!" Niles said as he sunk down onto the side of Frasier's bed.

  
"Listen Niles, it's not that hard - just ask her out! Just six little words that's all. Would... you... like... to... go... out? Say it with me," and even though his brother's tone was slightly sarcastic there was a definite undercurrent of true sympathy. 

  
"Go out with her? Go out with her!?! " Niles squeaked. "I don't want to go out with her!" 

  
"Why not? She seemed to have a very nice personality. Pretty good looking. Intelligent enough," Frasier summarized. "Although, if you are her taste in men, then maybe she is lacking in the brain power department!" 

The last remark was said with a smile to try and lighten the mood.

  
"Will you listen!?!" Niles was getting very irritated. "She asked me to tutor her in French!!" 

  
"Well then, what's the problem?" Frasier answered. "Just schedule her in around your other appointments Einstein!"

  
"What would we talk about? Usually these sessions last at least an hour!" the younger Crane sputtered.

Niles could already feel the panic beginning to set in just thinking about it. 

"I would assume you would be talking about her French lessons, you idiot!!" Frasier rolled his eyes. "Really, Niles, sometimes you just make things so difficult for yourself!"

  
"I ... I... don't know Frasier... what do I say when there is a break in the conversation?" Niles looked at his older brother with a pitiful face.

  
"Oh Niles," said Frasier letting down his haughty guard and patting his brother on the shoulder sympathetically. "It's really not that hard. Just talk about things that happened at school. Ask her about her family. Who knows - you may even find that you will get up the courage to ask her on a date."

  
"And have her laugh in my face?" Niles sighed. "No thank you!" 

  
"You know... you shouldn't put yourself down like that, Niles. Save that for me to do - ha! ha! It was a joke Niles... " Frasier looked at his brother and saw a tear falling down his cheek. "Forget about the date for right now. Let's see if we can get you through the tutoring session first."

  
"Will you help me?" Niles asked, "If I scheduled her for after school and told her she had to come here for the sessions you could be in the room some of the time! Then if I got into trouble you could take over and I wouldn't feel so all alone!"

  
"Well, I guess that would work. All right, I'll do it! Frasier to the rescue!" Frasier announced triumphantly. "Now get out of here, before Mom comes in and starts grilling me on my Latin declensions." 

Niles contacted Rose and explained that the tutoring would have to take place after school and at the Crane residence, if that was O.K. with her.

Rose didn't have any objection and was just happy that Niles reconsidered her proposal and had agreed to tutor her. Niles was a very patient tutor and loved the language, so teaching it to someone was a pleasure. Rose was a very attentive student and listened carefully to his advice on pronunciation. 

Frasier, as he had promised, conveniently found his way into the kitchen many times during their sessions and often engaged Rose in idle chatter during any breaks in the lessons. In fact, Niles seemed to be the invisible man when Frasier was in the room. He never said two words once Frasier started his convivial conversation with Rose. He envied Frasier for how easily he talked to Rose about a variety of topics, all of them frothy and friendly. 

Niles just sat tongue-tied and sullen during these moments and the more it happened the more he wished he had never asked Frasier to help out.

__

"That should be me making small talk with Rose," thought Niles. "Although to be fair, I did tell Frasier that I wasn't interested in asking her out! And I was the one that suggested he help me in the first place! But he should know it is difficult for me with girls and he should back off now! Then I could take over and Rose would pay some attention to me!"

  
"Frasier," Niles said out of the blue one day as Rose and his older brother were chatting about the new shows in the theatres, "Frasier, don't you have some geography homework you have to get done?" 

  
"No, Niles I finished that last night!" Frasier replied.

  
"I am sure you have to do some _extra_ work because there is a test on Friday, is there _not_!" persisted Niles.

  
"No I believe you are mistaken, Niles," retorted Frasier just as persistently.

  
"Can I see you in the living room for a moment, brother?" gritted his sibling.

  
As soon as they were out of Rose's earshot Niles sprang on Frasier.

"What are you doing? Why won't you leave? I can't get back to the lesson if you keep hanging around spouting your inane chit-chat!" 

  
"What ... what... did I do! You were the one that wanted me to fill in the gaps of silence. Or have you forgotten? "Frasier's eyes narrowed. "Feeling a little cramped now, eh? Well it's too late, buddy boy! You can't have it both ways! I like Rose and I think she likes me. And you haven't said a word to her in friendly conversation since she got here! It's more than a French lesson to you now, eh? Well too bad! I guess you will have to unwind your tongue and speak up because I intend to ask her to the Mardi Gras dance this Friday! How does that grab you? But then you're not interested in asking her out - I forgot!! No, this little fit of jealousy is just because I interrupted your precious French lesson!"

The last words were spit out with such a force of venom that even Frasier was surprised once he heard himself say them. But once that competitive genie was let out of the bottle, it was hard to re-cork it. Frasier was particularly pleased with himself that he had so carefully cultivated a fertile field of dreams with Rose and anticipated a very positive answer to his dating quandary.

  
Niles didn't say a word. The look of shame and guilt were written all over his countenance. He knew Frasier was right, but hearing the words still stung none the less. His face suddenly flushed, he clenched his fists and then strode quickly out of the house. 

He was so humiliated! He could never face Rose again - Frasier was right! It was all because he couldn't make simple conversation with a girl! He didn't even know where he was headed but he knew he just had to leave.

He walked until he came to an overpass by the highway that was the main exit out of Seattle. Up he climbed until he got to the part where the bridge supports narrowed underneath a grassy slope. Even though he was frightfully scared of all kinds of insects and spiders, Niles crawled up the embankment until he had wedged himself in an impossibly small, secure spot. He wrapped his arms around his bent legs and began to rock himself back and forth. Burying his head in his arms he began to cry softly. 

  
"Where did your brother go?" questioned Rose. 

  
Frasier stood immobile in the living room, where he had been for the last ten minutes. He had expected Niles to deny the accusations. At least fight back and argue with him. But not just get up and leave! 

  
"What... what did you say?" Frasier answered.

  
"I was just wondering where Niles went to?" Rose looked genuinely puzzled. "I mean, you two left the kitchen over fifteen minutes ago and so I thought I would come in to see if everything was alright… and well there's no Niles! Was it something I said? Or did?"

  
"No! No, Rose, not at all!" Frasier stumbled around a bit for some rational sounding reason for his brother's absence. "Niles... Niles just remembered that he... he had to run an errand for our mother." 

  
"All... riiii… ghty," said Rose, not totally convinced but realizing that there was something more going on here than first appeared. It must be something very private that she shouldn't get involved in - something just between the two brothers. "Maybe I should just go. Tell Niles I'll make up the time next week." 

Frasier suddenly stepped in front of her as she started towards the door.

  
"Rose, will you go out with me to the Mardi Gras dance?" 

End of Part One – To be continued.


	2. Brothers in Arms

**_Author's Notes:_**_ This is a continuation of the first part of School Daze. It takes a look at the lives of the Crane brothers, before they were a dusty little psychiatrist and his *bolder* brother. _  


School Daze - Part 2   
Brothers in Arms 

By Val McCaffery

"Sure I'll go with you to the dance," replied Rose. "That's this Friday isn't it?... Frasier aren't you worried about your brother? Don't you think he is acting rather... well... strange? I don't mean to be rude or to intrude on anything private, but I mean, just leaving on an errand in the middle of a tutoring session?"   
  
"What? Oh, yes well he has been known to do some quirky things now and again." Frasier half mumbled.   
  
"Don't get me wrong. I think the world of your brother, but he does have a problem talking to people sometimes, doesn't he?" Rose said cautiously.   
  
"Not people - just girls," said Frasier with a hint of weariness in his voice.   
  
"I sort of got that impression from the first time I met him in the library. I kind of feel sorry for him. He's so much younger than the other students in his classes and he obviously is miles ahead in the brains department. It must be very hard for him to fit in," Rose said.   
  
"It's hard for both of us," answered Frasier. "But especially hard for Niles. He has a real problem with self-confidence. He thinks that a girl would just laugh at him if he asked her out on a date. That is _if_ he could open his mouth and get the words out!"   
  
"That's so sad!" sighed Rose, "and so untrue! I would have gone out with him - if he had asked. I think he is rather attractive."   
  
"You would have?" Frasier said raising an eyebrow. "But, what about us? You said you would go out with me?"   
  
"Frasier, I am 16 years old," said Rose firmly. "I intend to go out with a lot of people. I like both you and your brother. After all - we are just going to a dance! We're not getting married or anything like that!"   
  
"Yeah - I suppose you are right - it's just all in good fun," he said. "Better not to let it get too serious. Maybe that is Niles' problem - he treats everything like it was the end of the world!" 

_Frasier thought to himself. "Where could he have gone? If mom finds out about this we'll both catch proper hell! Me especially! Niles has always been her favourite.... 'he's much too thin....he doesn't eat enough.... he's gifted!' I have to struggle constantly just to keep up in the attention department!"_

  
But then he felt a tinge of guilt. 

_"Shame on you! He's your only brother," He thought. "And he __is__ too thin... and he __is__ bright... he's also terribly loyal and you know he looks up to you for advice. This is how you repay his loyalty! Get a grip!! Niles is hurting and he needs you!!"   
_  
"You know it's getting rather late. Maybe we should call someone to look for Niles," said Rose with a great deal of concern in her voice.   
  
Frasier didn't want to embarrass Niles any further so he quickly recovered.

  
"Well, yes it does sound like rather unorthodox behaviour him running off like that. But I don't think we have to panic. Perhaps I'll go look for him."   
  
"Do you want me to help? I could go with you - I'd hate to think of anything happening to him and two can search faster than one," she said.   
  
"No, no thank you, that won't be necessary. That's kind of you to offer but if something has upset him, he might be embarrassed if someone other than family were to locate him. Don't worry Rose, I'm sure he's alright. If it makes you feel any better I'll call you when I find him."   
  
"Well, O.K. I'll see you Friday night - we can meet at the school about 7:00 O.K.?" Rose uttered as she tossed her books in a bag and threw her coat over her shoulders. "Burrr!! It's getting cold outside! Did Niles have a coat on when he left?"   
  
Frasier didn't answer but he knew Niles only was clad in his corduroy jacket, the one with the elbow patches that so many of his classmates teased him about constantly. Still, he stubbornly refused to change his ways. You had to admire his tenacity.

  
_"Sometimes he makes me so mad!! Why can't he try to fit in - more like me!" thought Frasier. "But I better go find him before it gets dark and Mom gets home!"   
_  
With that final thought Frasier bundled himself up in his heavy jacket and left the house with a flashlight, only to come back a few minutes later to fetch an additional jacket for his little brother. "No use him catching pneumonia, that little fly-weight!!" he muttered. 

  
Niles didn't realize it was getting darker and colder as he sobbed into the folds of his clothing. 

"Why am I so pathetic? What's wrong with me? All I ever wanted was someone to treat me special. To love me for who I am. This wall of superior airs is just that - a wall - built to keep things out, but at the same time traps me inside. I need someone to help me break down this wall. Someone who I feel comfortable with, someone to be with me! If I ever found a girl I was truly passionate about I could be so loving! We would have long chats while we walked in the park. Have wonderful meals together! We would have long lazy afternoons listening to classical music on the record player - just the two of us. I would be so devoted - she would never want for anything! Could Rose be that girl? I'll never know because I can't get enough gumption to even start a casual conversation! Oh... if Frasier can do it, why can't I? It is almost laughable if it wasn't so pathetic!   
  
We look before and after,   
And pine for what is not:   
Our sincerest laughter   
With some pain is fraught;   
Our sweetest songs are those that tell   
of saddest thought. *   
  
Only I would quote Shelley to myself when I am suffering! Well, if Shelley was right, I will have a *honey* of a sweet song to sing some day!"   
  
He was so cold now that he was shivering involuntarily, his teeth chattering as he continued to rock back and forth. He closed his eyes and pictured himself in the arms of _the_ girl. He couldn't see what she looked like, but he could feel her holding him tightly and she smelled wonderful. Niles drifted off, almost falling asleep, but more like in trance. His hands became numb, like his mind, as they lost most of their feeling. 

  
It was as if he was in his own tiny cocoon of sorrow and comfort. It was a ... warm place.... a place where he didn't feel any pain... a place... What did shake him out of his stupor was a sudden sound - SNAP!! 

  
"What was that?" he wondered. His very active imagination began conjuring up all kinds of beastly winged creepy crawlers just waiting to terrorize him out of his already frazzled mind. He listened carefully; now hardly breathing. SNAP!! 

  
"There it is again!?! Wait a minute - it is dusk and I can't really see that well. Is that something moving in the grass over there? WHAT... IS... THAT???.... SOMETHING... IS... ON... MY... LEG!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!......"

  
Frasier walked along the darkening streets, scanning the occasional bench along the way. 

  
"I should look under them and not on top!" he thought, "Niles always did like to crawl in the most smallest of spaces when he felt threatened." 

  
He shook his head. 

  
"Places like under the piano... or under his bed. Or like the time Dad tried to get him on ice skates and he ended up hiding in kitchen cupboard! What a funny fellow he can be! But he can be endearing too. Like the time he spent all day painting a card for my birthday and copying out a poem so carefully on parchment by hand in calligraphy! Or when he waits for me an hour or better sometimes, just so we can walk home together to chat about the chess club team results. And we do have such fun together! Nobody can write musicals like the two of us!! We should write a book together some day!! Well, that is, if we can stop arguing for five minutes when we work together! Oh.... where is he !?! I'll kill him when I find him!"   
  
"Niles!... Niles!!" Frasier called into the frigid darkness. "It would be just like him to get really sick and then get all of Mom's attention! Oh, I hope he is all right! I hope he didn't do anything really foolish! Is that the highway?"

  
Niles lurched to slap at whatever creature was crawling on his limb. As he did so, he pitched forward and tumbled down the grassy slope of the overpass. By the time he reached the bottom he was freezing cold, muddy, bruised and out of breath. To add insult to injury he figured he must have looked ridiculous going _ass over tea kettle_ down the embankment. 

"OH GOD ... I just want to DIE!!!!" he wailed. When he realized no one was within earshot to hear his plea, he just sank to the ground and sighed.   
  
Suddenly a bright light shone in his face.   
  
"Niles?" a voice said out of the inky void. 

  
Niles put his hand up to his eyes to see if there really was a body attached to that familiar voice or if it was just his numb mind hallucinating.  
  
"Is that you, Niles?" Frasier repeated.   
  
"Frasier?!?!" Niles responded with a semi-hysterical sound to his weary voice.   
  
"Niles! Come home, will you?" pleaded Frasier gently. "Are you hurt?"   
  
"Physically or mentally?" sulked Niles.   
  
"Here, put on this coat," answered his brother. "You are so hard on yourself!"   
  
Frasier wrapped his little brother up in the warm coat to stave off further shivers and put his arm around him, as he said with a chuckle, "You look like death on a cracker! You're a mess ... you know!"   
  
"Physically or mentally?" Niles asked again and then smiled weakly. "Oh, I'll be alright... I was just so mad at you because you were so right. I can't find the courage to ask Rose to the dance... oh... what a ninny I am!"   
  
"Now wouldn't be the time to tell you that I asked her out, would it? " Frasier grimaced and gave a sidelong look at his brother. "Forgive me Please?"   
  
"What?!?!? You couldn't wait, could you?" Niles scowled but then he looked up into Frasier's sorrowful eyes and realized that what was done couldn't be undone and it was probably for the best. "Oh... I guess I'm not really angry. What would I have done on a date with Rose? It would have been like going to a silent movie!" Then he giggled. "I'm a real work of art, aren't I?"   
  
"Brother, you are unique!" laughed Frasier, "Oh, I really am sorry Niles! I don't know what comes over me sometimes. My glands just get the better of me! If you want I'll cancel it and stay home with you?"   
  
"No, no use both of us being miserable... go have a great time! Get married... have lots of kids... just don't talk about it to me!" and Niles giggled some more until he almost collapsed. "Frasier help me up - I want to go home!"   
  
"That's the brother I love and despise!" Frasier joked. 

With that he stood up and proffered his hand to Niles and pulled him up to his feet.   
  
"Thanks! ... I think?!?" Niles replied.   
  
"Someday, Niles I just know you will meet the girl of your dreams," said Frasier encouragingly. "And when you do... "   
  
"The world will come to an end?" retorted Niles.   
  
"Noooo! I was going to say, that when you do... you'll know it is right because everything will just fall into place," said Frasier with a hint of exasperation. "Just relax, Niles! You know Rose told me that she thinks you are very attractive! "   
  
"Really! You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"   
  
"Now, when was the last time I ever said _anything_ just to make you feel better!"   
  
"You've got a point there..."   
  
"Oh, _really_ Niles ... you are too much... I rescue you from an icy death... "   
  
"Which you were actually the cause of ... "   


  
And so it went - the two brothers bantering back and forth as they made their way through the cold night, back to the Crane residence. An odd mixture of love and jealousy; friendship and rivalry, but always brothers, in the true sense of the word!   
  
Some things never change! Thank goodness!   


THE END

*Note: Stanza from Percy Bysshe Shelley's "To a Skylark" 


End file.
